Congratulations to Dr. Duncker on becoming certified to perform this procedure!
Hopefully Dr. Duncker fully supports prevention and his educating his patients so that they may never need this procedure done.
A good dentist will certainly report to his patients the depth of their periodontal pockets on every office visit. This is a key indicator in the diagnosis of gum disease.
You will know when you are in danger with these numbers, so it is important that your hygienist or dentist tell you what these numbers are. You don't want to be surprised by an expensive treatment, do you?
If you dentist's office is currently providing these numbers to you, be sure to ask them on every visit. By staying on top of the problem of gum disease, you can avoid a lot of expensive hassles down the road.
The cost of dental surgery in the US, as I am sure you are probably aware or can guess, is quite high. If you can manage to keep your gums healthy through prevention you can save yourself a lot of money over the remaining decades / years of your life.
*
I speak in general terms only on this site. Specific questions about
your unique dental health situation should be addressed by your doctor
or periodontist.
The book is valued at $21.99, so you will get this value along with a brand new HydroFloss (latest model). The HydroFloss comes with a warranty as well. This is a 'real' book. It is one that you can hold in your hand and read - the old fashioned way!
The book, What You Should Know About Gum Disease is an excellent adjunct to your Hydro Floss. It is about 240 pages packed full of easy-to-understand information on gum disease and dental health.
This chocked full of the 'secrets' to dental health that most professionals either don't know or don't have the time to tell / teach you. And 'secrets' there are.
For example, the measurement of your periodontal pocket depths is an objective guage to the health of your gums. 3mm and below is, generally speaking considered good by dental health professionald and anything above, generally speaking, is considered a problem.
Yet, many dental offices are not measuring these on each dental visit, they are not telling their patients what these numbers mean and the importance of them.
You are empowered with these numbers to know where you stand. When gum health deteriorates, expensive treatments are right around the corner. And unfortunately, this is often the point that people find out they have gum disease!
However, we already know, according to dental professionals, that 75% of people have some gum disease right now! Start protecting yourself today.
*
I speak in general terms only on this site. Specific questions about
your unique dental health situation should be addressed by your doctor
or periodontist.
The Hydro Floss Oral Irrigator is your Best choice - When it comes to oral irrigators, this is really true. Don't miss out on this special device. The money it can save you in prevention is worth a LOT more than the cost of this machine.
* I speak in general terms only on this site. Specific questions
about your unique dental health situation should be addressed by your
doctor or periodontist.
Essential oils have been known to kill bacteria. Whether this blend is going to make a huge difference in your dental health is an interesting question to ask.
I tend to think this blend could be helpful, particularly in combination with use of the hydrofloss oral irrigator. As the author of the book: What You Should Know About Gum Disease - I would say that the Hydro Floss is the most powerful and useful tool or product I have come across.
I suspect it does the most good for the most people.
No one can suggest a cure for periodontal disease. That's just not possible. What you can talk about is control of harmful bacterial populations. This is because you can never fully get rid of the bacteria in your mouth, no matter what you try.
One should always be under the care of a dentist or periodontist. It is important that they monitor the health of your gums.
The key measurement and probably the most objective / effective one is the measurement of your periodontal pocket depths.
If you are able to get those down to 3mm or below, most dental professionals would probably say your gums are healthy at that point.
Therefore, whatever you do at home, you are looking for the change it causes in your periodontal pocket measurement numbers on your next office visit.
Or course, every human body is different and no one thing works for every person 100% of the time. The only way to know is to try something and watch your results. I speak in general terms only here and specific questions about your unique dental health situation should be directed to your dentist or periodontist. They can provide advice, diagnosis and treatment. This site cannot and does not attempt to do that.
* I speak in general terms only on this site. Specific questions
about your unique dental health situation should be addressed by your
doctor or periodontist.
Many people are brushing their teeth with baking soda. But, just because a practice is popular, doesn't mean it is correct.
There may be hidden dangers in doing so that you have not thought about.
I remember one customer I spoke. We were talking about this very topic. She said that she did not like the taste of the baking soda, so she never personally did this.
But then she told me that her husband did. She suddenly said, "his gums are more receded than the rest of his family".
French Kiss Chewing Gum was created for exactly what its name sake hints at. If you know you are going to be in close contact with that significant other or that interesting possibility, then you may want this gum.
This goes beyond candies that cover smells with other smells. This gum's goal is to neutralize bad breath odors. It uses the power of: xylitol, calcium peroxide, zinc gluconate, and dicalcium phosphate as well as a pH neutralizer.
The power of oxygen and the pH neutralizer are where the 'secret sauce' is. You won't find these things in other gums. That's because this gum is special.
Dr. Katz has made a career out of fighting bad breath. He uses methods that attack the root cause. So this gum lasts even after the flavor is gone.
Other gums cover up smells. This gum attacks them.
This makes it possible for you to enjoy that next kiss without fear.
This gum, in addition to protecting your personal life, could also improve your business relationships as well. Just pop a piece whenever needed - perhaps before that next meeting.
Yes, drinking coffee is bad for your teeth in at least two important ways.
First, coffee is very acidic. This means it will directly break down your tooth enamel.
Second, acidity is something that the bad bacteria love. When the mouth environment becomes acidic, the bad bacteria multiply more rapidly. Since their waste products are also acidic, they produce even more acid to attack your tooth enamel.
Similar bacteria can cause gum disease and even bad breath.
If you have concerns about your mouth pH, there are very few pH balanced mouthwashes that can help. Here is one.
It would be very difficult for most people to just stop drinking coffee. So, at the very least, pay attention to things you can do to balance your pH back after consuming this acidic beverage.
Rinsing immediately with water can help, at least a little bit. The use of a pH balanced mouthwash can be helpful. Chewing a 100%, sweetened with xylitol, gum or mint can also help. The xylitol amount should probably be a minimum of .72 grams per piece. You can find some here.
Some people sip coffee all day long. As you can probably imagine, this keeps a constant barrage of acidity in your mouth.
[If you hate coffee breath, try this chewing gum. ]
While the saliva can work to drive minerals back into the enamel, it will have a lot of difficulty overcoming a constant barrage of acidity. It is like a chemical reaction a neutral pH will help drive minerals in. Acidity may move things in the opposite and wrong direction.
As you can probably surmise, this can be one contributing factor to the development of tooth decay.
See the video below for commentary on 'cracked and broken teeth'.
* I speak in general terms only. If you have specific questions about your unique dental health situation, direct those questions to your periodontist or dentist.
I think it is great that dental professionals teamed up to bring dental care to these children who did not have access to health insurance. It is always heartwarming to hear stories of those who are willing to devote their time for a good cause.
Bravo to the Dental professionals of Covina, California for providing these services.
A St. Louis doctor and his hygienist were able to stop the progression of gum disease and help a patient avoid surgery who, under normal circumstances, would typically be referred for surgery.
This is, of course, a good thing.
Education is Really The Key
The article went on to say that 1/2 of all people have gum disease. However, many professionals put the number far higher.
The article correctly states that gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss. The problem is one of education and prevention.
If people understood that they can have more control over their dental health by disrupting that plaque on a daily basis, they would most likely have a lot less problems and smaller dental health bills in the future.
I spoke to a woman recently that only gets her teeth cleaned once every five years. I was a tiny bit surprised. This person cited the high cost of dental care as the reason she only gets the cleaning once every 5 years.
The problem is that this 'cleaning' ends up being the more expensive 'deep cleaning'. We certainly cannot fault someone for wanting to save money. But, wouldn't it be wonderful if the costs of regular cleanings could be brought down to the point that people would feel good about getting their teeth cleaned at least twice-per-year?
I know that is wishful thinking, you don't have to tell me. Dental hygienists are the unsung heroes of dental care. They get in their and really clean things out for the patient. It is just too bad that many patients seem to be unable to keep the plaque and tartar buildup between office visits to a minimum.
Could education and a focus on effective prevention tools and techniques help reduce the problems? I personally like the Hydro Floss. Many dentists and hygienists have found that it can really help their patients do a better job at home.
I am glad that the dentist and hygienist were able to save at least one of their patients from invasive treatments. Wouldn't it be great if more could be saved from that in a cost effective and simple way?
Studies have shown that electric toothbrushes can be more effective. Let's think about why that may be true.
One of the major reasons I think this is helpful is because of the timers that most electrics have.
You see, it has been suggested that each time we brush we should brush for about 2 minutes.
Two minutes is actually a long time. It doesn't seem like it, but it is. Therefore, most of us actually brush far less, even though we think it is more in our minds.
You can test this by timing yourself. If you are not used to brushing for a full 2 minutes you will quickly realize it when you are using a timer. You will think it is 'taking forever'.
The point of brushing your teeth is to manually disrupt plaque. This is very important. The circular electronic motion of the brushing or sonic action for some brushes, may do a better job of that than manually brushing.
However, if you are truly taking your time and doing a good job with a manual brush, you could conceivable also be effective.
The time is one of the biggest factors. This is where many fall short. The timer on an electric can help to keep you on track.
Looks like the Eastside Family Dental Clinic in Santa Barbara is rewarding kids and parents with a "Cavity Free Certificates" on Wednesday February 27th 2013! They children will also be picking a toy out of a treasure chest.
The Eastside Family Dental Clinic started this program as a way to reward kids and parents for excellent 'toothbrushing' skills.
In addition, children get their pictures placed on an 'honor role' / cavity free board. Another awesome idea. They had 45 kids last year and expect 60 this year.
That's awesome. It's definitely a step in the right direction!
I would love to see more dental clinics doing the same. Bravo to Eastside for this great program.
This sounds like a great program for raising awareness and rewarding efforts. Wouldn't it be cool if every dental clinic had a program like this?
I congratulate the Eastside Family Dental Clinic in Santa Barbara for
putting forth great efforts towards instilling good dental hygiene
habits in children.
-----
By now, you all now what my favorite home dental health tool is.
Yes, they can be yummy and quite delicious! But, what about their impact on your teeth?
Sugary breakfast cereals can get pretty sticky when they are wet (with milk). When you grind them down with your teeth they break into nice sugary bombs that are just small enough to get stuck in the crevices of your teeth.
That pure sugar can then begin to feed the 'bad bacteria' that secrete the acids that can damage your tooth enamel as well as the health of your gum tissue! Gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss after all.
If you look carefully, you might even discover that those little sugar laden particles are still crammed into some of the crevices of your teeth even after you brush AND floss.
OUCH. That means they can continue to do damage. What if you drink a soda or cup of coffee on top of that? Oh, more acid accumulates!
Anyway, what do you do when you can't get rid of those little pesky crushed up and mashed in flakes of delightful sugar stuck in your teeth?
You might want to try oral irrigation. This is where a nice gentle stream of water is used to dislodge particles and substances stuck on and between your teeth. Many people remark that even after brushing and flossing, irrigation dislodges more stuff.
Our modern diet is a monster. From carbohydrate and sucrose laden foods that stick to the crevices of our teeth, to the acidic sodas and beverages we like to consume, we are constantly adding fuel to the fire of decay.
It is a wonder that people do not have more cavities than they do. Then there is the question of :
When is a cavity really a cavity?
Dentists know that the beginning stages of a cavity are reversible. The teeth, like other body tissues, can heal. The problem is determining when the line is crossed and a cavity really DOES need to be filled.
This becomes more complicated when you learn that visiting 3 or more different dentists yields very different diagnoses and ideas about 'what must be done' to 'fix' your mouth.
If you are ever in doubt, go get a second or even third opinion. You will quickly learn that perceptions can vary greatly. This leaves you with a feeling of "What's going on here?"
Dentists are fully aware that this happens. It is not a surprise to them to learn that other dentists have different opinions.
One woman I spoke to said that she went to a dentist who said she had 8 cavities to be filled. Another dentist told her far less. So it is interesting, isn't it?
One time, a dentist told me that I had a cavity. I waited until my next visit and saw a different dentist in the SAME office. The second dentist told me there was no cavity there.
Another time, a dentist told me I had three cavities. I was suspicious about that. I went to another dentist who did not agree with the first one.
The first dentist also told me I might need a crown if he were to fix the leaky filling that I went to visit him for. He actually said that he would not know until 'he got in there'. How convenient that he had a crown making machine right there in the office!
The second dentist told me there was no way he would need to place a crown and that he could easily replace that filling - which he did - without the need for a crown.
If you ask around, you might hear similar stories from your friends and circles. So, if you are ever in doubt, go ahead and get that second or even third opinion.
There ARE good dentist out there, you just need to be selective about who you allow to work on your mouth.
Helping Yourself To Prevent Cavities and Broken Teeth
One of the key understandings about your teeth is that they are constant undergoing rebuilding or tearing down. This is greatly influenced by the pH of your mouth.
The saliva is striving to help your enamel stay strong. When you have a higher pH in your mouth then you are helping the saliva to drive minerals into the tooth enamel.
When you have an acidic mouth, you may be directly influencing that reaction in the wrong way. In addition, the acid producing or 'bad' bacteria reproduce faster in an acidic mouth. This causes a greater build of acidity. A 'loop' so to speak.
Some of the things we eat and drink are quite acidic! Coffee and colas are among some of the most acidic beverages around.
Now, I am not suggesting a drastic alteration to your diet and lifestyle - as that is not always very practical.
Instead, consider paying particular attention to the pH balance of your mouth. Perhaps pH balances mouthwash such as these can help? Maybe if you focus on rebalancing pH after that acidic coffee or soda, you could help your teeth stay stronger?
At any rate, this is a big clue to helping you prevent cavities. The mouth pH is very important. Acidic foods and beverages serve to undermine the natural strengthening that our saliva attempts to perform.
* I speak in general terms here. Specific questions about your unique dental health situation should be directed towards your periodontist or dentist. They can also provide advice, diagnosis and treatment, while this article cannot and does not.
Pennsylvania's Governor Tom Corbett has joined the list of Governors that have dubbed February as "Gum Disease Awareness Month" - you can read the article from BeWellPhilly here.
So far, I have become aware of Illinois, Oklahoma and now Pennsylvania as states that are trying to raise the awareness of the seriousness of gum disease as well as how widespread it is. Then there is Dr. Hudson in NY.
And that is great! I applaud the Governors of these states as well as Dr. Hudson.
The Problem Of Gum Disease Is VERY Widespread
In articles I've read recently some of the dental associations involved in these proclamations are stating that 85% of people suffer from some degree of gum disease.
The standard statistics is around 75% - but even at that lower number that means 3 out of every 4 people have some. Most of them don't know.
Many will not become aware until it is time for an expensive treatment. There may be multiple reasons for this. I don't want to speculate on that too much. But, the fact remains: A LOT of people have gum disease.
It appears that many of those people will need expensive treatments and or lose one or more teeth! (Gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss! )
This Prompted Me To Write The Book
To do my fair share in raising the awareness about this widespread disease, as well as what people can do to stop it from progressing, I wrote a book.
The name of the book is: What You Should Know About Gum Disease.
I think every family should have a copy of this book on their shelf. If so many people have gum disease now, and do not know it, what are the chances that multiple people in your family could use this information?
Who knows, maybe they (or you) can save thousands of dollars in expensive treatments that were not needed because you took action to prevent them.
It's not all about brushing and flossing. If that was all it took, would so many people have gum disease today?
I hope this article helped to raise awareness a little further.
Governor Quinn, according to the above site, has declared February as: "Gum Disease Awareness Month".
This is great. Another state is joining the call for awareness. I wrote about Oklahoma the other day.
In the article, they mention that 85% of people have some gum disease and less than half of them know it. That should be a wake up call for everyone who reads this!
This is why it is so important that people have more awareness about this problems. Gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss. Yet, some people lose teeth and get implants or dentures and still don't know the reason.
Creating awareness is one of the reasons I wrote my book: What You Should Know About Gum Disease. ISBN: 978-0981485508
If people just knew a little more, they might be able to save themselves from expensive dental treatments down the road. Moreover, they would have a better chance at keeping all of their teeth for a lifetime of good service.
I applaud Governor Quinn for making this proclamation and I also applaud Oklahoma for doing the same thing. I would like to see more states follow suite and more dental organizations too!
Dr. Danz is a New York Dentist interested in helping patients avoid or mitigate the possible links between heart disease and gum disease.
Given that p gingivalis has been found in the plaque lining the heart arteries, it is indeed a bit suspicious. This bacteria has been identified as one that causes gum disease.
The tissue between blood vessels and gums is indeed rather thin. It does not take a great imagination to realize the likelihood of these bacteria spreading right into the blood stream.
This is a bit scary. And no one wants to scare anyone. I should mention that while researchers have found a lot of connections between various diseases and gum disease, in few instances are they absolutely certain of what that connection is.
Research is ongoing, but many professionals and researchers are confident of the connections. Diabetes, heart disease, lung infections, mouth cancer, preterm babies and a number of other potential connections have been found.
More research is needed of course. But it any case, it makes it even more important to spend time mitigating or preventing gum disease.
Gum disease, unfortunately, is also the number one cause of tooth loss! Many dental professionals will tell you that about 75% of people or 3 out of every 4 have some gum disease right now!
That's not meant to scare you. It is only meant to underscore the serious nature of this problem.
I wrote the book: What You Should Know About Gum Disease: A Layman's Guide To Fighting Gum Disease to help people understand more about this problem. I wrote it in easy-to-understand terms. What you do at home has the greatest impact on your dental health.
Thanks to Dr. Danz for helping to spread the word about this terrible disease that so many have and so many are unaware of.
But, before you get too excited, know that the above link is just a company press release.
They are delighted because two researchers from Temple University have been certified to perform the LANAP procedure.
Good? Could be. They are claiming that their surgery is less invasive and provides a way to rebuild bone. Although, there didn't seem to be any clarification on the 'rebuild bone' part.
I'd like to hear from one of the doctors that has experience with LANAP explain that part to us.
What do they actually mean there? Full restoral? Partial restoral. If I had to guess, it might just mean a minimal restoral if any.
The cost of the laser procedures is quite high. I am wondering if there isn't a better way for the patients to achieve a full return to periodontal health naturally?
I hope so!
Anyway, less invasive (read: destructive) is certainly a step forward.
I like the fact that Doctor Quynh explains the fact that many patients have little to no awareness about this disease. She also explained that even those who are suffering from it are not even aware.
I want to congratulate Doctor Quynh for helping to raise awareness of this terrible problem that may be affecting 75% or 3 out of every 4 people1 It's important that people learn more about this problem because gum disease is the number one reason that people lose their teeth!
What I Didn't Like
Doctor Quynh explains that she does a thorough cleaning and then has the patient maintain a strict regimen for a couple of weeks.
The problem I see here is that it should be stressed that fighting / preventing gum disease is a daily struggle. Every single day people should mechanically disrupt plaque. The need to fight this battle does not stop after two weeks or when the swelling goes down.
She also didn't mention what this strict regimen entailed. That is disappointing. Did she only mean brushing and flossing? Was there more that she had her patients do?
There are many tools in addition to dental floss and a toothbrush. There is the perio-aid, xylitol, ph balanced, oxygenated mouthwash, essential oils and the Hydro Floss - but there is no mention of any of those in the article.
Wouldn't it be useful for readers to understand what a 'strict' daily regimen looked like? But, I don't intend to be harsh. It's great that she is explaining that people need to be better educated about this problem.
Thanks Dr. Quynh For Writing That Article.
I think it is great anytime a person writes an article or takes the time to educate people about how serious this disease is. That's why I wrote my book: What You Should Know About Gum Disease.
If people just had a little bit of knowledge and understanding, I think that many, many people could avoid expensive treatments that become necessary from having gum disease and lost teeth. If people just knew a little more, much could be prevented.
It's not overly technical and it is not complicated. People just need to know a few things! But it is true, that not everything works for everyone. Every human body is different. This article explains more.
* I speak in general terms only. Specific questions about your unique dental health situation should be directed to your dentist or periodontist. They can answer those questions and provide you with advice, diagnosis and treatment. This article cannot do that. But I hope it helps you to figure out how to prevent expensive problems down the road.
I received this email from one of my customers today - February 18th 2013:
Thanks again for all the personal service, Dave.
This is just to offer that I, too, have had a long, unhappy dental history - plus an unusual process of coping with it. I actually wrote about it nine years ago and am attaching what I wrote for your perusal.
I was 36 years old in 1988 when I began taking responsibility for applying better dental care. That is WAY too long to wait to begin dental care but, well, I imagine you understand how the dental industry doesn't really provide very good education, does it. At least not in those days. At that time I became aware that amalgams might have been making me sick so I began having them replaced one at a time.
In 1995 I was facing my first extraction and thought, "I'm too young for this!" It wasn't until about that time if not a little sooner when I began flossing daily with a little tool made of toothbrush-like plastic, I think manufactured by Butler, maybe you have seen it. It is not the disposable type and is unfortunately difficult to find these days but I have found it to be invaluable for my large hands/fingers to successfully navigate.
I also started using an old toothbrush - dry - sort of instead of a toothpick, before flossing. Then after flossing I brush as normal with a newer, soft toothbrush & any paste that is available in natural food groceries.
A few years later I began adding a metal instrument with a rubber tip (also made by Butler) to my regimen; outlining just under my gumline. Highly effective! Years later still I began using the rubber tip with about 1/4 tsp of baking soda in my mouth - provides powerful abrassion and doesn't really dissolve in saliva so use with care.
Then about three or four years ago I bought the Hydrofloss. I continue utilizing the other implements, often spending twenty or thirty minutes cleaning my teeth each night. After all of what I perform before hydroflossing, on rare occassions the Hydrofloss will kick loose something that was still stuck somewhere in my teeth! Not to mention whatever function the magnets perform.
I have fashioned a more durable cardboard box into which the original Hydrofloss packaging, styrofoam included, fits perfectly and I travel with it constantly.
Since loosing my first tooth in 1998, I have lost two more teeth that were already dead before 1988. Now I am considering having two implants made. Cleaning teeth properly doesn't bring back the dead so it is wise to begin early. As I imagine you well know!
Hope you enjoy my story!
Hats Off To Your Authorship!
Dan
------
Thank you Dan for sending this story in. I really believe that there are plenty of people out there searching for answers. Perhaps reading this will help them to realize that they are not alone in the struggle to find answers.
* This site speaks in general terms only. If you have specific questions about your own unique dental health situation, be sure to direct those questions to your dentist for advice, diagnosis and treatment.
The good points to this article is that they have discovered that, particularly in Tennessee, children need extra help with their daily dental maintenance plans. They site a statistic that 33.5% of people over 65 have had teeth extracted compared with the nationwide average of only about 17% or so.
They correctly mention that good dental health maintenance at home can make a drastic difference.
What I don't like about this article: Despite the documentation and evidence out there, they have not mentioned the Hydro Floss as a significant tool to help with the prevention dental health problems.
Dentist and Hygienist will nearly all agree that the most important aspect of preventing dental health issues, is what the patient does at home, every single day. If those basics are not in place, then costly problems lay in wait down the road.
I hope the Tennessee Department of Health will continue to help children and take it to the next level!
What it can do for yourself and your family can save you a lot of money down the road. Let's not mention the pain and annoyance as well!
Some other good resources are the book: What You Should Know About Gum Disease and How To Stop Gum Disease In 4 Easy Steps. - disclaimer, both were written by me.
Dr. Duncker is now offering LANAP treatment to his patients.
